Communications systems frequently include a plurality of network nodes which are coupled to access nodes, e.g., base stations, through which end nodes, e.g., wireless terminals, are coupled to the network.
In a wireless communication system, quality of service characteristics such as ability to make fast and seamless handoffs, typically require a base station to efficiently transmit the information that allows a wireless terminal to locate the presence of the base station(s) closest to it and obtain some basic information about the base station(s) detected so that it can use the received information to make fast and efficient subsequent access to the base station(s). This information can also be used by service providers for network management (network planning and network monitoring) purposes. In some wireless communication systems signals called beacons are used to communicate base station identification information to the wireless terminals. Usually these beacon signals are not required to carry many information bits. Instead what is typically required for beacons is to be robust to channel impairments and be readily detectable well before the wireless terminal may make a decision to attempt to access the corresponding base station. This feature is very important for the ability to make fast and seamless handoffs. For that purpose beacons are usually transmitted at the relatively high power levels.
Frequently, the problem in designing efficient beacon coding scheme arises from the tradeoffs between simplicity and reliability/detection delay. Frequency selective fading causes some of the beacons to go through very bad channels and as a result these received symbols are extremely noisy. In some systems that may cause the wireless terminals to wait longer until the channel conditions improve and the base station can be identified for access attempt.
Another problem arises from the fact that beacons are typically required to be detected when a wireless terminal is not yet synchronized to the base station which transmitted the beacon signal. In some systems this problem might cause false base station detection, the effect known as “ghosting”.
In view of the above discussion, it should be appreciated that there is a need for new and improved ways of communicating beacon signals that are more robust and/or readily decodable in the presence of different channel impairments, e.g., frequency selective fading.